Dry wall joint taping apparatus



Nov. 4, 1958 7 cs. W..HARRELL 5 DRY WALL. JOINT TAPING APPARATUS FiledMay 28, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 N INVENTQR neyWHwrreZl Nov. 4, 1958 G. w.HARRELL 2,858,953

DRY WALL JOINT TAPING APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1956 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2L\\\\\\\\\\\\\ l v 9 62 7 [AZ INVENTOR 670 471,: gill/ fa 'r'relzATTORNEY S "I Ill.

Nov. 4., 1958 e. w. HARRELL 2,858,953

' DRY WALL JOINT TAPING APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR G'Z aaZn "(Harrell 72-12;;

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ATroRN EYs Ullllfid The present invention relates to dry wall jointtaping apparatus, and more particularly to devices for applying cementto the dry wall tape and in some cases applying the tape to the drywall.

The primary object of the invention is to provide ap paratus forspreading cement upon dry wall tape and either forming the tapepreparatory to its being applied by hand or applying the tape directlyto the dry wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide cement applying devicesfor applying cement to dry wall tape in which the amount of cementapplied to the tape can be controlled.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of theclass described above which is readily portable and can be moved fromjob to job with ease, is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to use, andwhich will accommodate all normal construction problems found in drywall applications.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingspecification when considered in the light of the attached drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse cross-section taken along the line33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary lateral cross-section taken alongthe line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is an enlarged longtudinal cross-section taken along the line66 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is an enlarged lateral cross-section taken along the line 77 ofFigure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of another modified form of the invention.

Figure 9 is an enlarged transverse cross-section taken along the line9-9 of Figure 8, looking in the direction of the arrows. H

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse crosssection taken alongthe line 1010 of Figure 8, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 11 is a top plan view of another modified form of the invention.

Figure 12 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-section taken along the line12-12 of Figure 11, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse crosssection taken alongthe line 13-13 of Figure 12, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like referencecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, thereference numeral indicates gen- 2 erally' a tape cementer and applierconstructed in accordance with the invention.

The dry wall tape cementer and applier 20 includes a frame member 21having integrally extending therefrom handle supports 22, 23 in spacedapart parallel relation between which a handle 24 is secured by means ofa bolt 25 extending axially therethrough. A U-shaped bracket 26 issecured to the handle bracket 23 by means of the bolt 25 and ispositioned so as to extend outwardly therefrom. A spool 27 is journalledin the U-shaped bracket 26 by means of a journal bolt 28. The spool 27supports a supply of dry wall tape 29, as best illustrated in Figures 1and 2.

A hopper, generally indicated at 30, is secured to the frame 21 by meanof bolts 31 and 32. The hopper includes a front wall 33, a bottom wall34 extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom, a back wall 35extending upwardly from the outer end of the bottom wall 34 in parallelrelation to the front wall 33, and a pair of opposite side walls 36 and37 which are arranged in spaced parallel confronting relation integrallyjoined to the front and rear walls 33, 35 and the bottom wall 34. Theupper edges of the side walls 36 and 37 are arranged to divergedownwardly and outwardly at an angle greater than the angle formed bythe bottom wall 34.

A cover 38 is hingedly secured at 39 to the side walls 36 and 37 and isarranged to extend therebetween from the front wall 33 to the rear wall35. The center portion of the front edge of the cover 38 is providedwith a tape slot 40 which terminates short of the front wall 33, as bestillustrated in Figure 3. A plate 41 is adjustably secured to the cover38 by bolts 42 and is adapted to slidably close the slot 40 in the cover38 to any desired degree to control the quantity of cement 43 exitingfrom the hopper 30.

An applying trowel 44 is formed of a continuation of the front wall 33and is arranged with wedge shaped side flanges 45 and 46, for reasons tobe assigned. A slot 47 is formed in the corner between the front wall 33and the bottom wall 34 to permit the tape 29 to extend therethrough.

In the use and operation of the invention illustrated in Figures 1through 4, dry wall tape 29 is passed through a hopper 30 having cement43 stored therein. The dry wall tape '29 is applied to the wall of abuilding by means of the applicator 44, and the device 20 is moveddownwardly on the wall with the dry wall tape 29 receiving a coating ofcement 43 as it passes through the hopper 30. The plate 41. scrapes theexcess cement 43 off of the tape 29 so that the tape 29 engages the wallwith the-correct amount of cement 43 thereon.

The device illustrated in Figures 1 through 4 is intended for use withdry wall joints extending across a ceiling and extending 'vertically ina side wall construction.

Referring now to the modification illustrated in Figures 5 through 7,the reference numeral 50 indicates generally a dry wall tape cementerand applier. The device 50 includes a frame member 51 having a brace 52extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom at an angle, and an arm 53extending perpendicularly forward therefrom, as best illustrated inFigures 6 and 7.

A handle 54 is secured by a handle frame 55 and bolts 56 to the framemember 51 in spaced relation to the bracev 52 and the arm 53. A spoolsupport yoke 57 is journalled by means of bolt 58 to the outer end ofthe arm 53 and is adapted to have a spool 59 positioned thereon forrotation. Dry wall tape supply 60 is wound on the spool 59 and isadapted to be dispensed in a manner to be described.

A hopper, generally indicated at 60', includes a front spaced relation,a bottom wall 63 connecting integrally the front and rear walls 61 and62, a pair of end walls 64 and 65 close the opposite ends of the hopper60, and an upwardly and rearwardly diverging hopper wall 66 extends fromthe upper edge of the front wall 61, for reasons to be assigned.

Bolts 67 secure the hopper 60-to the extension 52, as best seen inFigures and 7. A slot 68 is formed in the end wall 64 to permit the tapesupply to pass therethrough. An adjustable plate 69 is secured to theend wall by means of wing bolts 70 to permit the supply of cement 71 tobe retained in the hopper 60' and dispensed therefromin economicalamounts.

In the use and operation'of the invention illustrated in Figures 5through 7, tape 60 is threaded through'thc hopper 60' and is applied tothe seams in a dry wall construction by means of the applicator blade 72which is formed of a continuation of the front wall 61 of the hopper 60.As the tape 60 passes through the hopper 60, cement 71 will clingthereto in an amount governed by the sliding gate 69. The deviceillustrated in Figures 5 through 7 is intended for use on seamsextending horizontally in a dry wall construction.

Referring now to the modification illustrated in Figures 8 through 10,the reference numeral indicates generally a tape cement coating andforming device in cluding hopper generally indicated at 81 consisting ofopposite spaced apart parallel end walls 82 and 83, inwardly convergingside walls 84 and 85, and a bottom wall 86. A V-shaped block 87 ispositioned on the bottom wall 86 and runs from one end wall 82 to theopposite end wall 83 of the hopper 81.

A V-shaped guide 88 is provided with spaced upper and lower V-shapedwalls 89 and 90, respectively, which t are integrally joined as bestillustrated in Figure 9.

The V-shaped guide 88 extends through the end wall 82 terminating justinwardly thereof in contact with the V-shaped plate 87. The opposite endwall 83 is provided with a V-shaped outlet opening 91 in alignment withthe V-shaped guide 88. Dry wall tape 92 is threaded through the guide 88so as to be formed into a V-shape as it passes through the hopper 81 andthrough the outlet opening 91 in the wall 83.

Cement contained within the hopper 81 coats the tape 92 and the excesscement is removed by means of an adjustable gate 93 covering the outletopening 91. When a sufficient amount of tape 92 has been coated withcement the end is torn off or cut loose from the hopper 81 and the tapeis applied to an outside corner using the normal hand tools.

Referring now to the modification illustrated in Figures 11 through 13,a tape forming and coating apparatus, generally indicated at 100,includes a hopper, generally indicated at 101, having opposite parallelspaced end walls 102 and 103 connected by converging side walls 104 and105. An inverted V-shaped bottom wall 106 extends lonigtudinally of thehopper 101 between the end walls 102 and 103 and the side Walls 104 and105.

An inverted V-shaped guide 107 extends through one end wall 102terminating immediately inside of the end tit) wall 102 adjacent theinverted V-shaped bottom wall 106, as best illustrated in Figure 13. Theinverted V- shaped guide 107 includes spaced upper and lower V- shapedwalls 108 and 109 which are integrally joined along their lower outeredges, as best illustrated in Fig-- ure 13.

The end wall 103 is provided with an inverted V- shaped outlet opening110 in alignment with the V-shaped guide 107 and is provided with anadjustable V-shaped gate 111 which is adapted to adjust the opening 110to regulate the amount of cement flowing therethrough from the hopper101. i

A tape 112 is fed through the inverted V-shaped guide 107, through thehopper 101, and out the outlet opening 1.10, where it is coated withcement in suflicient quantity to cause the tape to adhere to the drywall when applied to an inside corner thereof. When a sufficient amountof tape has been coated with cement from the hopper 101, the tape 112 issimmered from the hopper 101 and applied to an inside corner of a drywall with any suitable tools.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the invention, itshould be understood that numerous other structural modifications andadaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of theappended claim.

What is claimed is:

A dry wall tape cementing and applying device comprising: a hopperhaving spaced parallel side walls connected by a front Wall, a back wallarranged in spaced parallel relation to said front wall, and a bottomwall sloping downwardly from said front wall to said back wall; a coverfor said hopper hingedly secured to said side walls opposite said bottomwall, said cover terminating in spaced relation to said front wall; aplate secured to said cover for sliding movement thereon toward saidfront wall; a trowel integrally formed with said front Wall andextending at a forwardly sloping angle thereto; upwardly taperingflanges integrally formed on opposite side edges of said trowel; a framemember secured to said front wall; means on said frame member supportingsaid trowel; spaced parallel handle supports extending integrallyforwardly of said frame member; a handle secured between said handlesupports in spaced parallel relation to said frame member; said frontwall having a transverse slot formed therein adjacent said bottom wall;a yoke mounted on one end of said handle supports; and a tape reeljournalled in said yoke.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,119,537 Halpin June 7, 1938 2,327,150 Allen Aug. 17, 1943 2,328,571Meyer Sept. 7, 1943 2,366,675 Petty Jan. 2, 1945 2,679,232 Brown May 25,1954 2,694,378 Schnaible Nov. 16, 1954 OTHER REFERENCES AmericanBuilder, vol. 74, No. 5, page 94, May 1952.

